As you might know
RRT2 provides many ways or styles of play that will enable one
to reach a medal finish. The tips provided here I have accumulated
over many month of playing various versions of this map and, I am
sure, is not the only way to achieve success. My general style is to
micro manage, use the stock market a lot and rely heavily on bonds to
finance expansion.

1.0
MAP INFORMATION AND MAIN OBJECTIVES.

1.1 MAP INFORMATION

This map is a good representation
of the actual area since it is based on a topographical image. Even
though positioning the rivers within a valley might not be exactly
where they should be, they are however close to their actual
location. The location of the cities is also fairly accurate.

The map scale is 0.4km per tile,
which makes the map 200km x 144km. The resulting linear accuracy of
the distance from Wiener Neustadt to Marburg as an example, is within
2% of actual.

All mountains of about 1900m to
2000m or above are snow capped. Many of those had to be manually
corrected for height.

All rivers are sloped from the
source to where they leave the map area. However some very localized
uphill running rivers might still be encountered (especially due to
random industry/resource placement).

Since the province of Styria is
also called the Green Province, I concluded that a dense
tree covered landscape will represent this claim best.

Up to five other railroads should
be starting usually within the first year. In rare instances one of
them will not start at all however, some have started several years
into a game.

The Kaiser Ferdinands Nordbahn
will, true to its actual location, start in the Lower Austria area.
The Adriatische Bahn Gesellschaft (true to its proximity to the
Adriatic Sea) will start in Carinthia and the Ostbahn AG. (due to its
name of Eastern Railways) in Burgenland. The Alpine
Bahngesellschaft could start in Salzburg or Upper Austria and the
Volksbahn AG. in Salzburg or Carinthia.

In case someone is wondering about
the sugar fields available on the map. Those are actually fields of
sugar beets and quite common in the area. Major implication being
that Rum will not be available. :)

Overall, the maps game play
is trying to recreate the early days of railroading in Austria with
the times turbulent political happenings blended in. The
historical facts, as provided in some dialog screens, are
true historical happenings based in content and timing on research.
The newspaper reports as provided during the revolutionary period are
also based on true events and are presented at or close to the time
they actually were happening.

The events dealing with the
Archduke or any other personality are totally fictional. However,
Archduke John (Erzherzog Johann) was a part of these times and played
a large role in events during those times.

1.2
THE MAPS MAIN OBJECTIVES

Underlying the often hectic and
possibly somewhat confusing turn of events are the following main
objectives:

1.) Provide the minimum rail
expansion requirements.

2.) Provide a connection from
Wiener Neustadt to Marburg including the Semmeringbahn.

3.) Fulfill a few
delivery/connection requirements or offers.

4.) Connect to all provinces and
fulfill the delivery requirement for a successful official
connection.

Should one stray from the above
objectives or not fulfill them, the Archduke/Monarchy or Public will
become unhappy and it will/can cost you dearly to please them and get
their confidence back. Gold Medal games without losing even a single
disappointment demerit point are possible, and might I
say desirable, and a challenge by itself. Generally speaking, an
effort has been made to reward early completion of most tasks
required.

1.2.1 Minimum Rail expansion
requirement.

Even though I have had feedback
suggesting that the rail requirement is too excessive I have never,
in any of my medal games, found it to be an issue. A sustained rail
expansion effort to provide the Wiener Neustadt to Marburg connection
and fulfilling some delivery requirements will usually fulfill the
amount of rail required to keep the monopoly.

1.2.2 Wiener Neustadt to Marburg
connection or Sudbahn for short.

This should be the main focus of
your expansion plans. Early construction of this line will provide
you with valuable bonus points for your relations count with the
monarchy and public. It will also enable other events that could be
profitable if you choose to take them.

1.2.3 Several
delivery/connection requirements or offers.

The first one will be a connection
offer to Leibnitz, followed shortly thereafter by one for Gleisdorf
and Bruck an der Mur. There also possibly is one to connect to
Koflach. There will be a requirement for the export of logs from the
Upper Feistritz Valley (UFV) for which you have no choice but to
accept. Following that will be a possible connection offer to
Eisenerz and later delivery offer of iron ore. There is also a
possible visit from the mayor of Gleisdorf that will start a series
of events and could result in an offer to deliver alcohol into
Eisenerz. Also, in 1842 a series of events will start that could
result in a connection requirement into Turrach, connection between
Judenburg and Knittelfeld. In 1846 you will be asked to connect to
Mariazell and might be required to deliver passengers to there in
1847. In 1847 there might also be a connection offer to Schladming.
You also will be required to deliver tourists (passengers) over the
Semmering starting the first year end after completion of the
Semmeringbahn.

1.2.4 Connection to all
provinces and provision of required deliveries.

I found this to be one of the more
challenging requirements since luck in the distribution of resources
and industry plays often an important role. Specifically for the
goods requirement to Upper Austria, Salzburg and Carinthia this can
be a problem. However, even if the resources to generate goods are
not locally available, the iron shipments from Eisenerz to Leoben
should provide an ample supply of goods. Deliveries will take a bit
longer and one has to plan for it.

There are two main options
available for satisfying the connection requirement. One can lay
rails to at least one city in each province or one can try to merge
with a company in that province and lay tracks from there to a city
or cities in Styria. Being able to use the stock market and to gain
the majority of shares of those companies in the early stages of the
game might help you in deciding which approach to take.

Be also advised that no connection
to a province will be acknowledged until you also have delivered all
the required deliveries. After all the provinces want to be sure that
the connection is reliable.

2.0
GENERAL STRATEGY AND EVENTS.

2.1 City locations and
deliveries:

Cities are usually fairly far apart
and trains are slow resulting in, at least in the very early part of
the game, a good challenge. But ones those trains do come in it is
payday.

The key to surviving the upcoming
revolution is to deliver loads over a long distance. One has to start
planning for that event well in advance. As an example a four car
mail train leaving Marburg for Leoben might take about three years to
four years until it will arrive in Leoben. But even when arriving in
Leoben in August of 1848, in the worst year of the Revolution, it
still payed $850k. Another example being a tree car mail train from
Eisenerz arriving at the same time, but in Wiener Neustadt, still
payed $900k.

I also tend to pair cities for the
purpose of deliveries. This is somewhat dependent on each citys
size but often works out as follows:

Graz with Bruck an der Mur, Leoben
(especially before the Semmeringbahn completion) and Leibnitz.

Frohnleiten with Wildon.

Marburg with Voitsberg and Koflach.

Kapfenberg with Gloggnitz and
Wiener Neustadt

Krieglach with Lankirchen and
Wiener Neustadt

Murzzuschlag with Wiener Neustadt.

Weiz with Feldbach and Jennersdorf

Gleisdorf with Fehring and
Jennersdorf

However, I will also often send
passengers and mail trains from Graz or Marburg to Leoben to pick up
goods and have passenger or mail trains that are sent to Voitsberg
and Koflach from Marburg, return with coal if there are no passengers
or mail available in both cities. Furthermore, I will also send, when
the passenger and mail supply is plentiful, every third, fourth, or
fifth train from a major city to any far away city. This will shield
one against the upcoming depression while not missing the loads too
much at the time of departure.

2.2 Choice of locomotive.

Not much of a choice here. The
Prussian is all that is available until mid 1848 and then the 0-4-0
American is also available. The engine improvement event
will improve the performance of the Prussian closely to that of the
standard 0-4-0 American and will also increase the performance of the
0-4-0 American overall.

2.3 Train length.

Given the choice of locomotives
available I use almost all the time four car passenger and mail
trains and five cars for other cargo carrying trains. The exceptions
being trains over the Semmering, to and from Eisenerz and Mariazell.
Those trains will have a three car limit.

2.4 Number of Trains.

The strategy I usually use is best
supported by between 120 and 180 trains. As it usually is the case,
the size of some of the major cities plays a large role in the total
count.

2.5 Train priority.

I usually have all passenger and
mail trains on normal and freight trains on slow.
Exceptions being the trains over the Semmering Pass (ensuring that
passenger delivery requirement is fulfilled by not letting mail or
other cars interfere with it), other urgent delivery requirements or
just making sure a train from which I need the income gets through
fast. Those trains I set on Express.

2.6 Usage and availability of
bonds.

I rely heavily on the availability
and usage of bonds. Therefore during early stages of the game play I
usually am at the limit of available bonds. Here is a listing of some
occurrences after which one should check for available bonds:

a.) Beginning of new year
especially after company stock has doubled or tripled or better.

b.) During early game play after
the arrival of one high revenue train or in later game play after
arrival of several.

c.) After receiving bonuses.

d.) After selling of company stock
and purchasing same shares back with personal funds.

e.) After one refinances ones bonds
obtaining a lower interest rate.

Some of those opportunities to
obtain additional bonds might only be available for one month.
Therefore one has to be vigilant in perusing those instances since
expenditures made just at the right time can make a significant
difference. One should not hesitate even at a 15% interest rate to
take out bonds. For example:

A train arriving in the middle of
the revolution and about to unload his $600k cargo of passengers but
you are missing a small hotel small restaurant and saloon in this
station - you have just kissed $180k good-by. That is over two years
of interest payments. Furthermore, if you take out that bond and
purchase those station improvements you will still have close to 75%
of the bonus left for other investments.

2.7 Relationship with Monarchy
and Public.

There are three areas that measure
your contact with the Monarchy and Public and they are all available
in the status screen.

a.) Relations with Monarchy count.

b.) Relations with Public count.

c.) Disappointment count.

Both relation counts will start at
0 and will count downwards whereas the disappointment count starts at
0 and counts up. Punitive action will be taken when the monarchy
relations reach -2 the public relations -1 and the disappointment
count 11.

2.7.1
Relations with monarchy:

With your monarchy relationship
count at -2 you have a choice of a cash expenditure of $150k for one
credit or an expenditure of $250k for two credits. Your passenger and
cargo revenue will be decreased by 10% regardless of which option you
choose.

If your relations with the monarchy
drop below -2 you are again presented with two choices. If you opt
for a cash expenditure of $300k one will get two credits and with a
cash expenditure of $500k one will earn three credits. Passenger and
cargo revenue will be decreased by 20% for either of the choices.

If due to several simultaneous
demerits the count reaches below - 3 the game is over.

2.7.2
Relations with public:

Should your relations with the
public reach -1 you are offered two choices for a cash expenditure.
$200k will get you 2 credits while $450k will earn you 1 credit.
Choice two, Hire a company to improve your relations is
therefore largely a waste of money since trying to B.S. the people
should be discouraged. :) Either choice will lower passenger and
cargo revenue by 20%.

With your relations with the public
at -2 you are given the option of lowering your fares or to provide
free beverages at all your stations. The first choice will result in
lowering all passenger revenue and production by 20% and the second
choice will lower passenger revenue and production by 10% as well as
increase overhead by 10%.

2.7.3
Disappointment count:

Each time one incurs one of the
above demerits this count is increased by one. Only exception being
the warning given upon connection to Gleisdorf. Once this count
reaches 11 it is the end of the game.

2.7.4
Relationship comments.

As you can see just one single
occurrence of the monarchy relations reaching -2 and the public
relations reaching -1 (like missing the log delivery requirement
after the Gleisdorf connection) will lower your passenger and cargo
revenue by 30%. This, using an actual game example, can equate to an
average loss of revenue per year of $4443k. That is close to 5
million bucks per year. Needless to say you better do what you are
required to do to prevent any such occurrences.

2.8 Monopoly in Styria.

Your company is required to build
an average of 40km of track each year. The status page contains the
amount of rail you presently are operating and the amount of rail
that will be required by the end of the year. The end of year status
report will contain the amount of rail required by the end of next
year. Once one has laid more than 800km of rail, the required rail
count will not be increased anymore.

The actual amount of track is
checked at the end of the years1842, 1845, 1848, 1851, 1854 and 1857.
If one fails in providing the required amount of rail in those years
one losses two points in each of the relationship counts and the
territory of Styria will be opened up to other railroads.

On first thought one would think
that losing the monopoly is no big deal. And one would be right, were
it not for the large hit one takes with the relationship score. If
this event is combined with another event lowering your relationship
score it could very well be the end of the game. Even by itself this
event can possibly lower your passenger revenue by 40% ($6000k per
year, using an actually saved game) and lower passenger production by
20%. That hurts!

It has been suggested that the
required rail amount might be too excessive. Therefore, lets look at
this in some more detail with by using suggested connection targets
and dates, as I use playing most of my games.

Year 1840 - Required rail 40km
Completed rail 100km

Connection
Graz - Bruck an der Mur
37km

Connection
Graz - Leibnitz
37km

Connection Graz - Gleisdorf
26km

Year 1841- Required rail
80km Completed
rail 110km

Connection
Bruck an der Mur - Leoben
10km

Year
1842 - Required rail 120km Completed
rail 140km

Connection
Gleisdorf - Birkfeld
30km

Year 1843 - Required rail
160km Completed rail 226km

Connection
Bruck - Murzzuschlag
32km

Connection
Leibnitz - Marburg
19km

Connection
Leoben - Eisenerz
15km

Connection
Graz - Koflach
20km

Year 1844 - Required rail
200km Completed rail 323km

Connection
Leoben - Turrach area
97km

Year 1845 - Required rail
240km Completed rail 345km

Connection
to Carinthia
20km

(Including Judenburg - Knittelfeld)

Connection
to Salzburg
2km

Year 1846 - Required rail
280km Completed rail
385km

Connection
Kapfenberg - Mariazell
40km

Year 1847 - Required rail
320km Completed rail
410km

Connection
to Burgenland
25km

(Gleisdorf  Jennersdorf)

Year 1848 - Required rail 360km
Completed rail 529km

Connection
to Upper Austria (Bad Aussee)
92km

Connection
to Schladming
27km

At this point the amount of rail
you have will hold you over until it is checked at the end of 1854.
That is six years down the road. All needed connections at this point
are in place and what is left are the deliveries to the provinces.
Those six years should be sufficient, even in the midst of the
depression, to make the necessary deliveries.

If you think this pace of laying
track is unreasonable, think again. The middle of 1848 was at least
in one instance game over for me, by receiving the gold
win.

All tracks laid outside the
territory of Styria will not be counted toward your monopoly
requirement.

2.9 Stock market activity.

About half of the games I lose are
lost because of being too aggressive (or foolish) in stock market
activities. Thankfully those games are usually lost early and one is
spared from giving up what might be otherwise a well developed
railroad company. On the other hand, some of the games I could have
continued on with had I been willing to forego the ownership or
majority ownership of some of the railroad companies. But this
prospect seems to be so un-tycoon-like.

The companies usually most worthy
of early investment are the Kaiser Ferdinands Nordbahn, the Ostbahn
AG. and the company starting in Klagenfurt. Of those three, the
company starting in Klagenfurt (Adriatische Bahn Gesellschaft or
Volksbahn AG.) will have the best long-term prospect.

The Kaiser Ferdinands Nordbahn will
usually have a solid start but might be curtailed somewhat by your
Sudbahn connection. Usage of its rails for the Sudbahn delivery
requirement however, will keep this company on a solid footing.

The Ostbahn AG. might have a good
start but will not amount to much usually as the game progresses
unless one loses the monopoly and is given a chance to expand into
Styria. However, early investment will provide a good return like
most companies do.

The Alpine Bahn Gesellschaft, if
started in Upper Austria, will have a tough going but should be of
special strategic interest. If one wants to circumvent the building
of track from Leoben or Eisenerz toward Upper Austria one can simply
try to merge with this company and lay a relative short distance of
track into Styria and fulfill the delivery requirements.

I often very closely match my stock
purchases in those companies with the arrival of their trains. A
purchase just prior to one of their train arrivals will often ensure
the new stock price to be supported or raised by that income. This is
especially the case with the very early stock purchases.

2.10 Dealing with rock slides
and floods.

None of those events will happen
unless you have rail in the affected areas. Talk about attracting bad
luck!

2.10.1 Semmering rock slides.

On the Semmering there is one
territory that is affected by rock slides. In May of 1845, June of
1846, July of 1847, August of 1848, September of 1849, May of 1850,
June of 1856 and July of 1857 there is a 10% chance for this to
happen. In any such rock slide occurrence, trains that happen to be
in that area at the time and all track will be lost. Trains trying to
reach locations in Lower Austria from Styria or trains from Lower
Austria trying to reach locations in Styria will stop unless there is
an alternate route available. You will have to repair the damage
again by laying new track and incurring expenses of $230k. Train
operations will resume at the end of the month after the repairs have
been completed. It is very important that this damage is repaired as
quickly as possible since the medal events check for a connection to
Lower Austria.

2.10.2 Floods.

There are 5 areas in Styria that
are affected by floods. The floods can happen in 1841, 1843, 1845,
1847, and 1849. In the worst case scenario the spring floods will
start in the Bruck an der Mur area in March and over the next two
months period proceed downstream to the Mureck area destroying track
and trains alike in the affected areas. Train operations will resume
at the end of the month after the repairs have been completed.

By themselves those incidents are a
minor annoyance however if they happen during a cash poor time they
can be a real pain. Often the company is forced into selling stocks
or taking out bonds to cover such repairs.

2.11 No debt at the end of the
game.

Often, by the time the depression
is over by 1850 or so, I still find myself with $10000k of
outstanding bonds. However with all the rail connection requirements
fulfilled any train income can now be funneled back into paying off
those debts. Even though income might be slowed down due to the
previous depression and the long delivery times, one might be
surprised how quickly that can be done. This cash generating
period can severely be hampered though by previously incurred
relationship penalties.

It is also during this time that I
frequently sell company stocks to raise cash. This by itself could
easily provide one with half of the required cash needed to pay off
the bonds.

3.0
OPENING STRATEGY AND PLAYING HINTS.

One of the considerations early in
the game should be how best to use the one warning
available toward the monarchy relationship count. (This warning
will not invoke a demerit action directly and in the case of the
Gleisdorf connection will not increase the disappointment
count). Does one use it by connecting to Gleisdorf early with the
subsequent combined bonus of $600k or does one connect to the Koflach
area with the $600k bonus, a five year 30% reduction in steam fuel
cost and a 20% increase in coal revenue. Or does one connect to both
cities regardless of the relationship count?

I opted, with my strategy, not to
incur any penalties as far as relationship count is concerned since
the long term cost for it is too high. This leaves the choice of
connecting to one of the two cities and I find Gleisdorf to be
strategically the better choice. Strategically, since the later
requirement of log deliveries in the UFV will be supported by this
action.

Another decision needed to be made
is do you lay rails north up the Mur valley or do you lay rails south
all the way to Marburg. To connect to Marburg is most certainly a
very attractive choice since it is usually a large city and in track
laying cost presents about the same expenditure as connecting to
Bruck an der Mur.

3.1 Description of my normal
starting strategy.

3.1.1 At game start.

With the game in pause and right
after one has read the introduction and the medal requirement dialog
boxes go into the Company Detail - Finances section. There you first
sell some company stock. Then you back out into the Stock Market
Detail - Personal screen and sell all of your own stock. You then
return to the Company Detail - Finances screen and take out a bond.
This exact sequence of actions is important since it will maximize
the amount of available cash to your company and you might need it
all, to the last penny. However, the dealings with the personal
stocks could be questionable especially if there is an increase of
economic climate before May of 1840. Also do not be tempted to change
your manager. I usually keep him until very late in the game, once
all the provinces have been connected. Once you change him he will
not be available again.

3.1.2 Laying of first rail.

While still in pause lay your
tracks (carefully) all the way to Bruck an der Mur and build a medium
station there. This direction of laying tracks is hinted at in the
newspaper report about the opening of the train station in Graz by
the statement that you (CEO of the Kaiserliche Steirische Bahn) made.
I am mentioning carefully in track laying since you must
stay on the west side of the Mur valley close to the river all the
way north to just below Bruck an der Mur where you have a choice to
cross the river and place your station just north of the river or
stay on the south side without crossing the river and place your
station there. You might have no choice and have to cross the river
(to obtain the minimum of four houses) to the north side. I prefer
this north of the river location.

You will find that with this early
connection to that city you will be offered several benefits in
addition to the ones you would have been offered had you waited for
the connection offer to be made in June of 1840. A kind of reward for
those aggressive types of track laying players that are willing to go
to the limit.

You then build a station in
Frohnleiten (between Bruck and Graz). This station might also have to
be mid size however, at times it can be just a depot (as long as it
covers 4 houses). If you have to build a medium station in
Frohnleiten there should be just enough cash left for two trains.
Three trains if this station is a depot.

3.1.3 The first trains.

The availability of passengers or
mail will dictate which way one then sends the trains. Usually one
can send one train from Graz to Frohnleiten and, as long as it is no
longer than four cars, it will reach Fronleiten before the end of the
year. The second train should go between Fronleiten and Bruck (or the
other direction) and should reach its destination also before the end
of the year. I suggest one obtains all the engines one can and
stockpile them if needed.

3.1.4 The first connection
offers - Leibnitz, Gleisdorf, Koflach.

Firstly I would like to introduce
you to my standard approach.

When the Leibnitz connection offer
appears agree to hire the folks now". At this point one
also goes into the Stock Market Detail - Personal screen and buys
back shares of your own company. Usually five lots but not
more. (With your train revenue not available until the end of the
year company stock will take a dip).

At the end of the month the
Gleisdorf connection offer will be made. Choose Consider
yourself connected and you will receive a $500,000.00 advance
bonus. This amount of income will support the company stock purchases
made a bit earlier until the first train revenue appears. With the
cash just received from the Gleisdorf connection I suggest you right
away start building your track to Leibnitz. Make the Leibnitz station
also as small as possible (but still cover four houses) and use your
money for locomotives and send cars from/to Graz and Leibnitz.

The offer to connect to Koflach
should be available shortly but to go ahead and take it is a tough
choice. If one makes the connection (after having also connected to
Gleisdorf) one will loose one point in the relationship count with
the monarchy. This will then lead to having to please the
monarchy, with an $150k or $250k cash expenditure and a 10% passenger
and cargo revenue reduction. Using an actual game as an example again
the average yearly revenue from passenger and cargo deliveries during
a 5 year period (1843 to 1847) was $14810k. The above penalty would
have reduced this revenue by close to $1500k per year. For the year
1841 alone (the next year after connection) this would have lowered
revenue by $120k. This is, I believe, a terrible price to pay
starting so early in the game.

By the end of the year your two
trains will finally arrive at their stations. (By the way, the moment
the train arrives in Frohnleiten build a water and sanding tower
there). If due to the lack of passengers or mail (usually due to an
early recession) they are delayed, it presents a small setback, since
at the outset of the next year additional bonds will not be
available. Your stock market dealings with other companies
stock might also be very much supported by the value of your own
company stock and one might be under pressure to sell off some of the
stocks one owns. This is usually the point where I win or lose a game
since I am somewhat aggressive in the purchase of stock.
Nevertheless, I have had some great games even after being forced to
sell off some of the stocks.

3.1.5 The second year.

Assuming now that one or both of
your first trains have arrived you will be in good shape. First,
proceed in completing your stock market chores. Your company stock
has most likely doubled as well as the ones of some A.I. companies. I
suggest to purchase at least one lot of each of those stocks and two
of your own company. You should also have one or two bonds available
to you. Take them out and firstly fulfill your obligation to
Gleisdorf by still connecting in January. You will also receive
another $100k for this connection. The subsequent warning from the
Archduke can be ignored (but dont let him know that) since by
itself it does not create any penalties. Any moneys leftover (besides
making sure all trains necessary to transport all available cargo
have been purchased) should then be used to build a station first in
Wildon (include water and sanding tower) and then in Leoben. Also
redirect the trains that have most likely left from Leibnitz for Graz
or the other direction, to Wildon. (The one from Leibnitz might be
very close at this time).You need this cash because there are a few
lean months ahead and your stock will not drop too low with this
income. You might also consider using the company cash to purchase
back one or more lots of stock. This is also the time when I start
adding hotels, restaurants and saloons to the stations. Select those
stations into which a train will be arriving shortly, first.

3.1.6 Opening strategy review

This opening strategy has served me
well over many many games but most likely is not the only one
available to a player. After the beginning of the second year you
will have the following advantages/disadvantages available to you if
you followed the above strategy:

60% less track laying cost.
(Including benefits from the manager)

30% less bridge building cost.
(Including benefits from the manager)

10% less track maintenance cost.

10% less engine maintenance cost

10% less car maintenance cost

20% less station building cost

2 % increase in company
overhead.

You also own fifty or more percent
of your own company and have fulfilled all commitments made. You now
have the challenge before you to balance the laying of track toward
reaching the Sudbahn connection and the upcoming events with the
slow, bit by bit, available train income.

3.2 Alternative starting
strategies.

3.2.1Obtain
company majority of shares first.

Instead of selling ones shares at
the outset of the game, one can also opt to just purchase up to 6
lots of your own company shares and thus gain the majority amount of
shares right from the start.

I have not fully explored the long
term consequences of that action but off hand do not like this
approach. Using this approach might eliminate any stock purchasing
opportunities from other companies right from the start. This could
severely hamper your personal cash position and thus the ability of
your company to raise cash by selling stocks and you purchasing it
back during the middle and late stages of the game.

3.2.2Connection to Marburg first.

Even though this seems to be a
great approach I have never tried it. I suppose the primary reason
being that the connection rewards Bruck an der Mur offers are just
too tempting. However, this approach might be worthy of further
exploration.

3.3
Your opening strategy.

I would like to hear about it.

4.0
VARIOUS EVENT STRATEGIES AND PLAYING HINTS.

4.1 Connection to Leibnitz.

In April/May of 1840, the mayor of
Leibnitz will present you with an offer to connect to Leibnitz.
However, even without that offer being made, if one connects to
Leibnitz earlier, or before the end of 1840 with the offer made, one
receives the 20% lower station building cost benefit with an increase
of 2% in company overhead. If one fails to connect in time, after
having the hire them now choice taken, one will lose the
station building benefit again, will incur a 20% drop in Goodwill and
in addition also incur a demerit in the monarchy relation count. The
2% cost increase in company overhead will not be restored.

An offer to change your manager
will also be made upon connection to this city. The alternative
manager offered is a, what looks like, good choice, but is primarily
meant to lure you away from your present manager. The manager you
start out with is most likely the best choice there is for your early
game play and once lost, will not be available again.

4.2 Connection to Koflach.

At any time before 1843 and at the
beginning of the month following the Leibnitz connection, the offer
to connect to Koflach will be made. If one decides to connect to
Koflach there will be a $600k cash bonus, a five year steam fuel cost
reduction of 30% and a five year coal revenue increase of 20%. This
offer is available to the end of 1842.

My suggestion is to ignore this
connection until the Sudbahn connection has been made since a
connection before then will decrease your relation score with the
monarchy.

4.3 Connection to Bruck an der
Mur.

The offer to connect to Bruck an
der Mur will be made June/July 1840 with a 20% lower track building
cost benefit if connected by the end of June 1841. If one fails to
connect by that time there will be an increase of 40% in Track
building cost, 20% in track maintenance cost, 20% bridge building
cost, 20% engine maintenance cost and 20% car maintenance cost.

However, if one connects before the
offer is actually being made there will be a decrease of 20% in track
building, 10% in track maintenance, 10% in bridge building, 10% in
engine maintenance and 10% in car maintenance cost.

The benefits of an early connection
to this city are quite substantial and make this connection very
important. The reason for those substantial benefits are to reward a
player that follows the suggested and hinted at expansion direction
and is willing to go close to the limit to archive this.

4.4 Connection to Gleisdorf.

In My/June 1840 the offer to
connect to Gleisdorf will be made. You will have a choice of
connecting for sure or trying to connect. If you select connect
for sure you will be given a $500k bonus. If you fail in this
assignment by not connecting before September of 1841 you will lose
two credits in your public relation count, and receive a 20%
reduction in goodwill. If you selected try to connect and
you did not, there will be no penalties.

As long as you connect before
September of 1841 there will be also an additional $100k bonus.
Completion of this connection before February 1843 will also enable
the alcohol to Eisenerz event.

4.5
Export of Logs from Upper Feistritz Valley (UFV).

The requirement is to export 20
cars of logs from the UFV to anywhere outside this territory. Your
log shipments will have to arrive before 1846 and will be counted at
arrival time. If you do not deliver the required loads on time you
will lose one relationship count in both areas, have to return the
$700k advance bonus, all your possessions in the UFV territory will
be confiscated and all rights to the territory will be revoked.

It might be a good idea to, just
before this event happens in June 1842, purchase one or two lots of
company stock using private cash since as soon as the event happens
you will receive a $700k construction advance.

With the track laying I suggest to
proceed in the following way:

From Gleisdorf run your rails to
Weiz in such a way that you can, at a later time, easily add a
station in Weiz. From Weiz continue to Anger and Birkfeld staying on
the west side of the river. In Birkfeld there should be at least two
logging camps. Place a large station in Birkfeld trying to cover all
of the available logging camps and a medium station in Anger covering
the lumber mill there. Located there is the lumber mill with the best
access. If there are more than two logging camps in Birkfeld and you
are lucky with the economic climate you might not need to run your
rails any further to pick up additional logs. However, I do suggest
to lay your tracks to Ratten. You will receive a 20% discount of
steam fuel cost (due to the coal mining in the area) upon connection
and by placing a large station there be also able to pick up logs
from at least two more logging camps. It is the lower steam fuel cost
that makes the extra connection costs to Ratten a very good
investment in the long run. As an example, in one of my games the
average fuel cost per year between 1843 to 1847 was $877k. This
connection would have saved me an additional $175K per year. In other
words, it would have paid for placing the large station including
sanding and water tower into Ratten in less than 18 months.

I also suggest to run two or three,
four car trains from Birkfeld to Anger and start with three three car
trains (add later as required) from Ratten to Anger (Three cars just
to make sure they get there on time). For the next run from Ratten to
Anger you should change them all to four car trains.

Later in the game, when cash is
less of a problem, I suggest you also place a station in Weiz and
ship the pulpwood there to the paper mill. This will make the lumber
camps even more profitable and a very good industry to buy up besides
the lumber mill in Anger. The lumber available in Anger is of limited
value until the Raab valley route (Gleisdorf Feldbach, Fehring,
Jennersdorf) has been established. I usually ship the lumber to
those cities and return with food, alcohol or goods to Weiz.

4.6
The Sudbahn (Wiener Neustadt to Marburg connection).

The basic requirement is to connect
Wiener Neustadt to Marburg over the Semmering Pass by the end of
1853. If you make this connection by the end of 1847 you will receive
two credits to each of the relationship counts. If you fail in that
task you will lose three points from each of your relationship
counts.

The most favorable time for
starting and completing this connection requirement is most likely
going to be early 1843. You should have been able to obtain some
bonds to finance the upcoming expansion at the beginning of the year.
This is also the time (if connected to Leoben) were one will be
offered 1000k for connecting into Eisenerz with 500k up front if one
agrees to make the connection by the end of the year. Therefore, if
one agrees to the 1844 connection one receives an extra 500k to help
toward construction costs. You most likely have use for that extra
money.

There is a potentially better
connection time before the end of 1842 if one has the finances to
pull it off. If one, right after the completion of the Sudbahn,
connects to the Koflach area (taking advantage of the connection
offer made about the time you connected to Leibnitz), one will be
able to pick up another $600k in company cash and a five year break
in steam fuel cost and coal revenue. However, one needs to be
concerned about the high expenditures that close to year end and the
effect it will have on your companys short term share value.
This could send your personal stock dealings into a nosedive. Another
consideration is the total time that now is available for the
Semmering tourist delivery requirement. One has to carefully chose
that option since making that connection one month earlier or later
could have a big impact on your personal finances.

To construct the line, one starts
(after pausing the game) building the line from Bruck an der Mur up
the Murz valley to Kapfenberg, Krieglach and Murzzuschlag (build
stations in all of them). I found the best route to be is on the
north side of the Murz all the way from just after Kapfenberg to just
before Murzzuschlag where you will have to cross. You will be unable
to proceed much further up the Semmering but you can bridge the other
river and lay a few sections of track along the rivers south
side. Once you have built a station in Murzzuschlag unpause the game.

On the Lower Austria side of
the Semmering Pass the A.I. company most likely has a station in
Gloggnitz already. If the A.I. company has not connected into
Wiener-Neustadt attach your rails onto the ones of the A.I. company
and run them into Wiener-Neustadt. There should be lots of passengers
there even if the A.I. company has already a station there.

In Styria connect from
Leibnitz into Marburg. Usually Marburg is of such size that a large
station is required.

Please note that it is important
that you have completed the Semmeringbahn before making this Sudbahn
connection. If for whatever reason you connect the two cities of
Wiener Neustadt and Marburg without the Semmeringbahn being
completed, one is presented with an nasty note from the Archduke
outlining his disappointment. The resulting penalty of losing two
relationship points with the Monarchy is quite severe especially
since it can be easily avoided.

4.7 The Semmeringbahn.

It is extremely important that this
part of the Sudbahn (as well as the rest of the Sudbahn) be completed
before 1854. You will receive one credit toward your relationship
counts with the monarchy and the public upon completion. The basic
requirement is to connect the station (territory) on top of the
Semmering to Styria and Lower Austria.

Assuming you have a station in
Murzzuschlag the events will unfold as follows: Once you have $700k
or more in company cash and a random event selects the proper time,
you will be notified that everyone is ready to start building the
Semmeringbahn (and you will be deducted the full 1,400k of the
additional cost). Therefore you better make sure you have the
additional finances available to not only cover the additional cost
but to also build the track and stations required. Better yet, make
sure you can afford to finish the Sudbahn and lay tracks to Eisenerz
where you will be able to collect your other half of the connection
offer ($500k) and fulfill your obligation.

You pause the game again and start
laying rails over the Semmering and connect into Gloggnitz. Do not
forget to build the station (depot) on top of the pass. In this
station I usually place an engine shop and water and sanding
tower. Run double track as much as you can and change to stone
bridges as soon as you are able to afford it.

4.8 The Semmering Tourist
delivery requirement.

The basic requirement is to
transport a minimum of six loads of tourists over the Semmering
within a 12 months period for every year to the end of the game. If
one delivers twelve or more loads one receives a 200k bonus for each
year that this is the case. Every year you fail to deliver 6 or more
passengers, your relationship score with the public and monarchy will
be lowered by one count.

This requirement can be difficult
for players who for the first time play this map since it takes about
eleven months for a three car train to make the distance from
Murzzuschlag to Gloggnitz. If one is lucky and has three passengers
loads available in each city (or six in one) it should not be a
problem.

If one knows that the requirement
is about to happen (as would be the case after the first game) one
can prepare for it. For example, if one makes the connection in
April, one has about 8 months before the offer is even being made
(beginning of next year) and then has another 12 months (end of that
year) before the required loads are checked. The first two trains
should be, to be safe, send from Murzzuschlag to Gloggnitz and from
Gloggnitz to Murzzuschlag. I usually, while placing the stations up
the Murz valley (Kapfenberg, Krieglach, Murzzuschlag), start trains
in those cities in preparation to send them over the Semmering. For
instance, trains in Kapfenberg and Krieglach I will send with a full
three car load toward Murzzuschlag with the intention once they are
close to Murzzuschlag to redirect them to a city across the
Semmering. Trains in Murzzuschlag I will send to Gloggnitz or
Lankirchen. The trains in Murzzuschlag will just sit there filling up
or filled up waiting for the Semmeringbahn to be finished and
then just take off once that connection has been made.

There are a few options on how to
obtain passengers for subsequent years. I have for instance paused
the game, taken over the Nordbahn (having the majority of shares) and
connected it into Wiener-Neustadt and then taken over the old
railroad again (having the majority of shares). I have also just
simply merged the Nordbahn. Have also just run my rails to
Wiener-Neustadt and built a station there and run my trains partially
on the Nordbahn track. If one makes it the first year, subsequent
years have not proven to be a problem. However, one is never assured
that the required cars will make it over the pass every year. In one
game I had 6 cars the first year, 30 cars the next year, 0 cars the
year after that and 20 cars the year after that one.

4.9
Connection to Eisenerz.

It is important that this
connection is made after the Sudbahn completion otherwise you will be
losing points from both of your relationship scores again. If you
fail to live up to your promised 1844 connections you will lose your
advanced bonus plus interest ($600k), your goodwill will drop by 20%
and access to the territory will be denied. With that you have also
lost a steady source of available goods.

There are two event driven ways of
connecting to Eisenerz. One of them is a straight forward connection
goal offered in 1843. There you are given the choice of connecting in
1844 or 1845 or later. If you make the connection in 1844 there is an
additional offer for a bonus. For a minimum delivery requirement of
10 loads of iron ore, starting in 1845, to Leoben, another yearly
bonus ($100k) is available for every year you make those deliveries.

If you chose to connect in 1845 or
later and you connect in 1845 you will receive the $500k connection
bonus. If you connect later there will not be any bonus.

This overall event also includes a
randomly triggered (in length but not more than12 months total) labor
problem in 1845. You have the choice of settling it by paying a
demanded contribution of $400k or have it settled by the mayor of
Bruck an der Mur. The mayor will all the time have the problem
resolved by the end of the year. One has to weigh the revenue gained
from the possible delivery bonus and the deliveries themselves
against the $400k cost of settling this conflict. To pay the $400k
might be worthwhile if this coincides with the first series of
deliveries and the available delivery bonus, but might not be once
several trains have already lowered the demand for iron ore in
Leoben.

The connection to Eisenerz is, for
me, an important connection and lets me send trains with excess
passengers from Marburg or Graz all the way to Leoben and there pick
up the goods generated from the iron ore deliveries.

4.10 Alcohol delivery to
Eisenerz.

The other event asking you to
connect (deliver) to Eisenerz is the delivery of alcohol
scenario, by agreeing to re-invest your bonus as offered by the mayor
of Gleisdorf.

This series of events starts in
Feb. 1843 if one is connected to Gleisdorf. Your friend,
the mayor of Gleisdorf, will visit you and offer you some beverage as
a gift. By refusing to accept this gift, you will insult him and you
will therefore disappoint the public. If you accept, a delegation of
Upper Styria mayors and merchants will visit you for a fact finding
tour on railroad operations in June of 1843. They will sample some of
the beverages the mayor of Gleisdorf had left you and will be
impressed enough to enter into a business deal with the Gleisdorf
merchants/suppliers of that beverage. In Aug. 1843 a happy mayor of
Gleisdorf will visit you and will present you with two choices. One
is to reward you for the business deal with the merchants of Upper
Styria and offering you a $200k personal cash cut and the
other choice is to reinvest that cash for a five fold return.
However, you must ship a minimum of 6 loads of alcohol to Eisenerz in
1845. This delivery will be next to impossible to pull off unless one
prepares for that event well in advance (and cheats). The
consequences of that non delivery however are a loss in public
relations. To add insult to injury, you will also be sent a message
from the Archduke if your company has not delivered 6 or more loads
of lumber to date. In the message you are being accused of neglecting
the requirements of the lumber industry and are given two choices.
Either accept an increase of wood products, resulting in an 50%
increase in track construction and 40% increase in track maintenance
or to start up your own sawmills at a cost of $600k cash and a 30%
increase in company overhead. The benefits arrived from your own saw
mills would be a 10% decrease in track construction and maintenance
cost.

There really is no winning way to
get out of this unless one decides to cheat or take the $200k
personal cash as offered by the mayor. The events starting with the
reinvestment offer were meant to trap the greedy.

4.11 Engine Improvement.

Another series of events has its
beginning in Nov. 1841. At that time a simple dialog box will inform
one of the need of an improved locomotive. In March/April of 1842 you
will be presented with an option of opening one or two research
facilities to improve engine performance. The one research choice
will end up costing you $200k in company cash and an additional
yearly expense of $100k. For the choice of two research facilities
both expenses will be doubled. Some time in 1843 or 1844 (random
event) your research facilities will be constructed and the expenses
will be applied. You will also be informed that the teams are now
working on a solution.

The single research facility choice
will provide you with a monthly 10% chance, the two research facility
choice will give you a monthly 50% chance as to when a solution will
be presented to you. In any case it will be in 1843 or 1844.

Once you are presented with a
solution you again have two choices. You can opt for an engine
optimizing improvement or a rebuild of an engine improvement that
also includes the engine optimizing benefits.

The engine optimizing
benefits/costs are:

10% increase in steam engine
acceleration,

10% increase in steam engine
traction

5% increase in steam engine speed,

5% increase in engine purchase
cost,

5% increase in engine maintenance
cost.

For the engine rebuilding type of
improvement the above benefits/costs will be doubled and an
additional $400k of expenses will be incurred.

If you have chosen the rebuilding
(option 2) type of engine improvement you will right away be offered
a choice on how and where to obtain the Anthracite coal. Your choices
are to import that coal with the added cost of $100k per year and an
increase of 40% in steam fuel cost or to get that coal from the
Turrach area by connecting to there and building a station.

If you select the import
coal choice all engine improvements will become available and
the $400k for the boiler replacement cost will also be due.

If you select the Connect to
Turrach option you will have to provide that connection by the
end of 1845 and upon connecting pay the $400k boiler replacement
cost. Should you fail to connect on time you will be forced to
convert some of your engines back again and face an added expense of
$600k.

This whole series of events
contains several difficult choices that need to be made. Lets inspect
them a bit closer.

Opening of one or two research
facilities.

The sole advantage the two research
facility choice has is a monthly 50/50 chance for a solution to be
forthcoming, compared to a 10% monthly chance for the single facility
choice. Is it worth the extra cost of a one time $200k expense
and a $100k yearly expense to game end? Probably not. But I have to
admit that I have taken the two facility option all the time.

Optimize present design or major
rebuild.

To me, the key to this question of
the choice one will be making is based on how one interprets the
phrase presently unavailable but obtainable. There is no
question, I think, that for a cost of $400k to double the available
increase of performance is a good choice but what does presently
unavailable but obtainable mean? Well if there had been more
space available I would have put a better explanation there so maybe
option two is more of a choice for the curios and option one is more
for the cautious.

In any case if one only looks at
engine improvements, option one is certainly a good choice. Is it
worth all the expenses so far? Probably. Especially if one choses the
single research shop option.

Import coal vs Connect to Turrach.

The temptation might be to select
to import the coal but lets look at that decision a
little closer.

By importing the coal one is faced
with a yearly fixed cost of $100k and (based on my actual game) an
increased average fuel cost of $350k for a total of $450k per year.
If one now assumes another 10 years of play for a gold medal (by1854)
how will the $4500k compare to the rail construction cost to the
Turrach area?

The construction cost will be most
certainly much less (assuming now my strategy was followed). As a
matter of fact, using the least expensive way of track laying (single
rail and wooden bridges) and assuming a normal economic climate, the
cost including a depot in Turrach will be about $2400k.

However if one has changed the
manager somewhere along the way, and has chosen one that does not
offer any Track/Bridge laying benefits, this connection cost will
have risen to about $3400k. Adding to this might be that you are
forced to having to make this connection in a boom economic climate
and/or your new manager adds to your construction cost and that could
bring you near the break even point.

But even if this connection would
not make financial sense at this point, I still think it is one that
I would make. This is based on two reasons. Firstly you might need it
for your track requirement (it will add about 97km) and secondly it
gives you easy access (to within a very few tiles) to the provinces
of Salzburg and Carinthia. If you do not proceed with taking this
opportunity at this point (and gain all the possible benefits from
it), you will most likely find yourself going that way in just a very
few years anyhow to make some connections to the provinces. The
connection offer made in 1845 to connect Judenburg to Knittelfeld
will almost by itself ensure the availability of the connection
requirements for Carinthia.

4.12 Construction of training
facilities.

This is a Yes or No
choice event that, when accepted, will be costing $300k in cash
expenditure for construction cost and $200k per year in training
costs. The benefits are as follows:

20% decrease in engine maintenance
cost

10% decrease in car maintenance
cost

10% increase in station turn around
(faster)

10% increase in train safety.

Is it worth it? Using my example
map again the average yearly engine maintenance cost was $1223k
resulting in a potential $244k savings and the average yearly car
maintenance cost was $806k resulting in a $80k saving. It seems that
with a 2.5 year payback this is a good investment and therefore any
additional benefits gained from the safety and station turn around
time are just icing on the cake.

4.13 Connection to Mariazell.

In Aug/Sept of 1846, and after
having made the Sudbahn connection, you will be requested by the
Archbishop of Graz to connect to Mariazell. I strongly suggest you
make this connection as quickly as possible for the following reason:
If you do not provide this connection when asked to, you will
required to make it by being told to do so in March/April of
1848 and at the same time you will be required to deliver 6 loads of
passengers per year, until the end of the game, to that city.

This requirement to deliver 6 loads
of passengers will also be requested by the end of 1847 if you have
not made the Sudbahn connection. This delivery request leaves little
time for making the actual deliveries and is not an easy task in the
middle of the depression. If one fails (and one most likely will, at
least once) in that delivery task there will be a loss of one public
relations point for each year this takes place. This is a steep
penalty to pay.

However, there is a poisoned
pill in that first connection request. When you are being
congratulated for the connection you are also being informed that the
town is now awaiting the arrival of some pilgrims. So you better send
them some. A three car load of passengers will be sufficient as long
as they arrive before 1848 in Mariazell. However, to send them from
Kapfenberg, even if the passengers are available right away, might be
too late. Therefore, one better places a station into Gusswerk,
(depending on size of city) south east of Mariazell, and tries to
obtain the passengers from there. If you supply those three car loads
of passengers in time you will be spared any subsequent delivery
requests to Mariazell.

Furthermore, being connected to
Mariazell by 1847 will also enable the Connection to Schladming
event. This is the answer to the comment the church will not
forget this unselfish act at the time you connected to
Mariazell.

4.14 Connection to Schladming.

At a randomly chosen month in 1847
you will receive a request to connect the Styrian capital city Graz
to the Salzburg capital city, Salzburg. This should be done before
1852 and your task will be to lay your tracks over the Schoberpass to
Schladming. If you agree to provide this connection by 1850 you will
get a bonus of $1200k of which half will be available at that time.
The other half will be paid upon placing a station into Schladming.
Should you fail to provide this connection as agreed to, you will be
forced to return your advanced bonus with interest ($800k) and lose a
relationship point in relations with the public and the monarchy.

If you choose to do it ASAP
you will receive a $600k only by placing a station into Schladming
before 1852. If you miss this date you will receive no bonus and no
other demerits.

This is actually a very good way to
subsidize ones connection to Upper Austria. However, one will need
another $1100k in company cash to be able to make this connection.

4.15 Signaling system.

This series of events starts
March/April of 1847 with a choice to select the simple or deluxe
version of the improvement. The simple version will cost $400k
whereas the deluxe version will cost $600k. The declared benefits for
both are a 10% increase in train safety and a 10% faster station turn
around time available after implementation of the new system in 1849.

The simple version has
tree monthly choices of an accident with damages of $50k, $80k, or
$400k. There is a 10% chance that any of them will happen.

The deluxe version has
two monthly choices of an accident with damages of $30k or $200k.
There is a 5% chance for each of them to happen.

Once a specific accident has happen
it will not occur again.

The whole event is just bad news.
The deluxe version could potentially save $100k if all
accidents will happen.

4.16 Revolutionary forces -
blackmail.

Those events start in Aug/Sept.
1847 with the delivery of a letter. You are being offered two choices
in response to that letter. The first choice is to ignore the letter
and the second is to agree to a meeting.

The result of the first choice is a
99% increase in train robberies the second choice is a monthly (until
end of 1851) 20% chance that you will be caught by the police and
accused of collaborating with the enemy, resulting in your dismissal
by years end.

The choices of the second event are
again to ignore the letter or make a donation. The results of those
choices are the same as for the first event, except that you also
lose $800k in company cash.

Well, there is only one choice and
that is to ignore the revolutionary letters unless you feel really
lucky.

4.17
Connection to provinces.

The connection to the provinces
literally requires one to connect to the outmost edges of the map.
However given some of the incentives provided it is not as difficult
as one might think.

4.17.1 Connection to Burgenland.

This might be considered the
easiest to do. I usually connect to Jennersdorf and use the cities in
the Raab valley to provide the delivery requirements. Sheep farms and
textile mills should be easily available for goods shipment. The
official connection report will cause a 10% increase in track
maintenance.

4.17.2 Connection to Carinthia.

If one has made the Turrach
connection one has two relative easy access points to this province.
One is from the Judenburg/Knittelfeld area south to Obdach and
building a station in Reichenfels. The other is from Turrach south to
the Ebene Reichenau area. Goods could be shipped from Eisenerz or
could also be available locally through sheep farms and textile
mills. The connection to Carinthia will increase track maintenance
cost by 20%.

4.17.3 Connection to Salzburg

With the Turrach connection in
place one is within a very short distance (2km) of this province. I
usually lay track to Tamsweg for income generating purposes but the
Ramingstein area will do otherwise just fine. Availabilies of goods
generating resources/industries might be a bit more sparse but often
besides sheep farms in the area there is also iron available north of
Tamsweg. Track maintenance costs will increase 40% with this
connection.

4.17.4 Connection to Upper Austria.

This is one of the more awkward
connections to make. My usual approach is to connect to Bad Aussee
and then on to Hallein. The merging with the Alpine Bahn
Gesellschaft, if operating in the area, might be a good alternative
to having to lay track all the way to there. Sheep farms are usually
found in the Bad Ischl and Ebensee area as well as between Steinach
and Bad Aussee. Iron mines might also be available just south of
Grobming. This connection will increase track maintenance cost by
40%.

Another approach to take could be
to proceed north from Eisenerz to the Altenmarkt area. This will
bring one within a short distance of Upper Austria. However, I have
never tried this route.

5.0
Known bugs and issues.

5.1 Track counting in
territories within Styria.

All tracks laid in other
territories within Styria are not added to the track laid
totals. The most noticeable and damaging occurrence will most likely
be the laying of track from Birkfeld to Ratten since it will not show
any increase in the total track laid. (about 10km).

The solution to this issue will be
that all the track will be counted in all territories including those
outside the province and territory of Styria. The remaining issue is
if double track should count double. I do not favor to count it as
double and much rather just change the track requirement
to a line requirement if this does becomes an issue.

5.2 Connection to Leibnitz.

If one selects the hire now
option when the connection to Leibnitz offer is being made and one
connects into Leibnitz in December of 1840, (December only) the
connection will not be recognized and will be dealt with as if never
made.

The fix will be a rewording of the
event indicating that if the hire now option is being
taken the connection will have to be made by the end of November.
After all, how can the workers be home for Christmas if the
connection is made at the end of December? (They might be close to
home but still have to work)

5.3 Applying the benefits of the
signaling event.

The 10% increase in train safety
and 10% faster station turn around are never applied.

If the last connection and the
delivery requirements to a province is made in the last month (Dec.
1854) it will not recognize this connection for the gold medal win.
The silver win will be acknowledged in Jan. 1856.

This will be corrected in the next
version.

5.6 Connection and deliveries
to/from the provinces.

One does not need to actually
connect to Styria for the deliveries to be counted. There are several
options to circumvent that requirement.

This will be corrected in the next
version.

5.6 Semmering tourist
deliveries.

Deliveries made within the province
of Lower Austria will also be counted in the Semmering tourist
delivery total. Connections/deliveries made into Lower Austria using
other routes than the Semmering Pass will also be counted into that
total.

This will be corrected in the next
version.

6.0
Conclusion.

If I have made it sound easy to win
gold on this map, I did not mean to. In all of all my games I
estimate to have won about one third, another third I lost by being a
bit too over aggressive in the stock market and the rest I could not
win even with all that insight. In the opinion of other players, and
also in mine, it is a hard map to win on. It just seems to be easier
for me, having the insight of what is going on, why and when and
having it played so often. I hope that this guide will give
everyone some of the insight into the happenings that I have enjoyed.
There are no secrets left if ever there were any.

By the way, did I mention that the
map that I used as an example and referred to several times
throughout this guide was the one I made gold in mid 1848? That
on that map in 1845 alone I had passenger and freight revenues
totaling $23.8 mill.? I guess I was just lucky.

To recap, here are some of the
attributes for winning:

Be aggressive in track building.

Be vigilant in obtaining bonds and
dont be afraid to use those funds.